It Will Always Come Back To Bite You
by Katydid50
Summary: When important people all over Araluen start being killed off, Halt and Will are forced to search for answers, their quest leading them further back into Halt's past than either of them expected.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice nor any of the characters, except a few OC's and some places later in the story.**

Will looked over at Halt from across the fire. His mentor seemed even more grim than usual, which was saying something. It had been a year since his return from Skandia, his inhumane treatment as a slave nothing more than a vague memory that sometimes haunted him as nightmares, though they became less and less frequent.

Will and Halt had, for the past week, been following the trail of a thief and murderer that threatened the peace and safety of Redmont. Normally, this would be nothing more than a routine mission but this person was good at covering his tracks and his trail had no pattern so the rangers found themselves unable to predict where he would strike next.

The sun had just disappeared beneath the horizon and the stars shone brightly against the dark sky; embers from the fire contrasted against the white light with a red-orange glow of their own. The fire light cast shadows around the small clearing where Halt and Will camped that night. Abelard and Tug were off to the side, munching on late summer grass while their masters sat opposite each other, sipping at mugs of coffee.

"Halt?" Will asked quietly. It seemed wrong to break the quiet near-silence of the night with loud talking. "Is something wrong?"

Halt looked up from the map that rested across his lap to his apprentice. "Aside from you constantly asking questions and interrupting my thinking, no," he answered.

"It's just, you seem… I don't know. Upset, I guess." Or maybe upset wasn't the right word, but he couldn't think of anything else to describe the expression on Halt's face.

"I'm not upset," Halt told him before looking back down at the map of Redmont fief.

So, Will let the subject drop… for a little while anyway. As the night wore on, Will's suspicion and concern for his mentor only grew. "If something _was_ wrong, you _would_ tell me, wouldn't you?" he asked.

Halt took a deep breath, shifting his gaze back to his apprentice. "Yes Will," he said, trying to keep a rein on his temper.

Ten minutes later, "Halt?"

"Oh, for goodness' sake! What?!"

Will held Halt's gaze steadily. "Halt, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong! Stop asking me that!"

"Please, Halt. Tell me," Will pleaded. "I hate seeing you like this."

"Like what?"

"So… depressed. You look like you should have a rain cloud hovering over your head."

Halt's eyes narrowed and he sent a glare at his apprentice but he couldn't hold it for long. He shifted his gaze to the fire, listening to the crackle of the burning wood. "A long time ago, I had someone I cared for very much, but they were murdered. Tonight is the anniversary of their death," he finally told Will.

"Wow. Who?" Will's eyes had widened at the revelation.

Halt's harsh gaze shot back to Will, silencing the young man.

"Sorry," Will murmured, looking down.

Halt watched his apprentice for several long moments before saying, "My daughter."

Will's head immediately snapped up. "You had a daughter?"

Halt nodded slowly.

"Did you catch who it was?"

"No."

"Do you _know_ who it was?"

Halt nodded again. "It was my apprentice at the time."

Will felt like his stomach had turned to stone. "Your own apprentice?"

"Not just my apprentice. My soon-to-be son-in-law. At least, he would have been."

"Wait, they were engaged? Then why'd he kill her?" Will demanded, immediately regretting his harsh tone. It wasn't Halt's fault.

His mentor just shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "When I questioned him, he insisted that it was an accident, that he hadn't meant to, that he didn't know what had happened." He broke off, taking a moment to compose himself and force back the tears that started to build in his eyes. "The bastard didn't even have the guts to face justice. He disappeared. I always figured that he must have just snapped. I can't think of any other reason."

Will fell silent after that and Halt didn't speak at all. He couldn't believe that his mentor had once had a daughter, could believe it even less that she had been murdered by his own apprentice. But he had and she had been. He didn't know what to say. Somehow 'I'm sorry' didn't quite cover how he felt. He wanted to find this man, hunt him down, and make him pay for what he had done. But that had been years ago and if Halt hadn't been able to track down the man, then what chance did _he_ have?


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice nor any of the characters except a few OC's and some future places.**

Will groaned at the insistent knocking at his cabin door in Seacliff fief. Didn't people understand that the day didn't start before nine o'clock and two cups of coffee? When the knocking didn't stop, he reluctantly dragged himself out of his bed, calling, "Just give me a minute." He changed out of his bed clothes and into the standard Ranger's uniform.

Still partially asleep, he stumbled out of his bedroom, across the cabin and to the front door, pulling it open. On his front porch stood a young man, a palomino's reins tied to the low branch of a nearby tree. The man before Will looked nervous, his eyes darting around.

"R-Ranger Will?"

"Yes?" he asked.

"M-Message from Redmont," the messenger stuttered, offering the envelope to him.

Will took the envelope from him and smiled. "Thank you," he said. He had long since given up on trying to uphold the mysterious and dangerous stereotype Rangers held. He had found that, in Seacliff, either people were afraid of you or they weren't and nothing you did would change that.

The messenger nodded to him then wasted no time in untying his horse and riding out of the clearing, back to the main road. Will waited until the dust had settled before heading back inside, closing the door behind him. Taking a seat at the table, he tore open the envelope, pulling out the letter within. Before he even started reading, he checked the bottom, seeing that it was from Halt. A smile broke out on his face and he started reading.

_Dear Will, _

_ I hope this letter finds you in good health. Knowing you, you probably slept in this morning without me there to make sure you wake up early enough. But, while things may be peaceful there, I cannot say as much for the rest of Araluen. _

_ Trouble is stirring Will. Across the country, people of status are being assassinated left, right and center. I am lucky that no one has died in Redmont yet but it's only a matter of time. Crowley has summoned all Rangers for a Gathering. I know it's early this year, but it is critical we come together and figure out what is going on before any more people are killed. _

_ Hurry but be careful and watch your back. Travel safely._

_ ~Halt_

Will frowned as he read the letter and re-read it. The last time multiple people of power were killed was when Morgorath had the kalkara killing those that had stood against him during the first war against him. Halt's ominous words had awakened an awareness in him that had begun to relax with the lack of threats. He was consciously aware of how much he had slacked off since coming back to Seacliff.

Pushing back his chair, he stood up and headed out of the cabin, around to the back where Tug stood under the morning sun, chomping on grass. The little horse looked up at the sound of his master's footsteps, his ears pricked at the sense of purpose he got from him.

"Hey there Tug," Will said as he started to saddle the pony. "Looks like we're off on another mission."

Tug snorted and shook his mane. _And what mission would that be?_ he seemed to ask.

Will smiled. "We'll just have to wait and see," he said. He headed back inside to get the letter and enough food to last him the journey to the Gathering. Once back outside, he packed it away. He led Tug around to the front of the cabin, heading back inside one last time to retrieve his bow, quiver of arrows and his knives.

He cast one last glance around the cabin before leaving, closing the door behind him. He pulled himself into the saddle. "Alright. Let's go see what the heck is going on," he said.

**Author's Note: I know this chapter is short but I'm hoping that they will grow longer as the story progresses. Read and review!**


	3. Chapter 2

** Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice nor any of the character except a few OC's and some future places.**

Will's gaze drifted around the forest around him as he and Tug emerged from the forest surrounding the near clearing that held the Gathering. It was already half filled with tents and bodies moving around. Contrary to the atmosphere of fun and excitement that usually accompanied Gatherings, the mood that day was tense and anxious.

With a sigh, he nudged Tug and the little pony trotted forward, both searching for a familiar horse and Ranger. It didn't take the pair long to find where Halt was camped. The older man was just walking back to his tent from where the elder members of the Ranger's Corps were gathered. "Halt!" He watched as his mentor looked up, pausing and waiting for Will and Tug to come to a stop.

"Took you long enough," Halt commented.

Will just grinned and dropped down off Tug's back as the little horse called a greeting to Abelard who called back.

"I left as soon as I got your letter. Are things really as bad as they seem?" he asked.

"Worse, I'm afraid. Several more have been killed since I sent the letter, including one of the servants and trainee knights at Redmont," Halt told him.

"Any idea who is doing this, or why?" Will asked. A servant and a trainee knight. They were hardly people of power, though they did have access to people of power. But what was to be accomplished by killing them.

"We have no idea," Halt said. "We suspected kalkara but they have no reason to and the cause of death is quite clear on all of them."

Will raised an eyebrow in question.

"They were all fatally wounded but they died by bleeding out."

Will felt the blood drain from his face and held back a shiver. "Anything else that could help us?"

Halt shook his head. "No. But the all those killed were killed the same way so we're guessing that it was the same person that killed them," he explained.

"Is there any plan?" Will asked.

Halt just shrugged. "Try to catch the person in the act," he said. "There's not much else we _can_ do."

Will couldn't help feeling surprised, if not outright shocked. It sounded as if Halt had already given up! But, then, he was also right. There _wasn't_ anything else they could do. But, there must be something more. "You wouldn't have asked me to come all this way if that was all you had to tell me."

"Crowley's the one that summoned everyone. He's just going to announce what I've already told you," Halt explained.

Will frowned and looked over to where Crowley was talking with some of the other senior Rangers. "There has to be something more," he said, mostly to himself. "Something we've missed."

"There isn't, Will," Halt told him. "I've been to two of the scenes myself. There's nothing we've missed."

Nothing. No clues, no signs, no trail to follow. Nothing. But there _had_ to be something! No killer was good enough to not leave something behind. Only Rangers were that good, and even then only the very best could probably do it. That thought made a shudder run through him. Was it possible that one among them had done it? No. No, of course not. Rangers were loyal to King and country. There was no way a Ranger would do something like this. But…

"Halt, are there any renegade Rangers who might have a reason to do this?" he asked.

Halt had been making a pot of coffee while Will had been lost in thought. His head jerked up, however, at his former apprentice's question. "There's only one renegade Ranger that's still alive," he said. "But I can't think of any reason why he would want these people dead."

"Are you sure? Maybe we should track this guy down, just to make sure it's not him," Will suggested.

"No," Halt said, too quickly and too firmly. "We're not tracking him down."

Will watched his old mentor suspiciously. "Halt, if this guy is the one killing these people, it's our responsibility to hunt him down and see that justice is done."

"We're not going after him," Halt snapped. "We're not tracking him down. Just drop it Will. It's not him."

Will stared at Halt. How could he just dismiss someone like that when they had no other leads?! "But Halt-."

"Just drop it!"

Will snapped his mouth shut, taken aback by Halt's harsh words. He tried to think of something to say but his mind had gone completely blank.

"Besides," Halt said, watching as the water for the coffee started boiling. "No one knows where he is. He seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth. No one's heard or seen him in over fifteen years."

Will frowned and looked out across the Gathering. This renegade Ranger had to be somewhere, but there was no guarantee he was still in Araluen. Actually, it was most likely he had left it after… whatever happened to get him kicked out of the Ranger's Corps. So, they were back to square one with nowhere to go. Great.

As Halt had said, Crowley told them nothing Halt hadn't already told Will. That night, sitting around their own tiny fire, Will and Halt were joined by Gilan.

"So, what's the plan?" Gilan asked, pouring himself a mug of coffee.

Will glanced warily at Halt. His mentor had been touchy all day, ever since Will had asked about the possibility of a renegade Ranger. He had a right to be wary.

"Why does everyone always assume I have a plan?!" Halt demanded, glaring first at Gilan then at Will, then back at Gilan.

Gilan stared at Halt, wide-eyed.

Will glanced anxiously at Halt before shifting his gaze back to the fire.

"Well?" Halt snapped. When neither Ranger said anything, he snorted and took another drink from his own mug. Staring down into the flames, Halt could, in his mind's eyes, see a lightly tanned face, dark brown hair falling in front of a pair of green eyes. He could hear the sound of an arrow being shot from a bow, then the sickening noise of the arrowhead tearing through flesh and bone.

Luckily, he was pulled from his memories by the sound of someone saying his name. Blinking, his eyes focused on Gilan and Will, both watching him with concern written all over their young faces. He suddenly felt the years catching up with him.

"What?"

"Are you ok?" Gilan repeated.

"Of course I'm not ok! There's a serial killer on the loose! How is that ok?!"

"That's not ok, but are _you_ ok?" Will asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Halt asked.

"You just looked… like you were somewhere else," Gilan told him.

Halt looked from one young man to the other and back. "I'm fine," he finally told them. "Just thinking is all."

"Come up with anything?" Gilan asked.

"I might have if you two would stop mother-henning me!"

Both of them raised an eyebrow. Both Will and Gilan had been subject to mother-henning by Halt himself during the last year of their apprenticeships.

Halt, seeing the look, glowered at both of them. He could feel a torrent of questions coming on. This was going to be a long night, he just knew it.

**Read and review**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice nor any of the character except a few OC's and some future places.**

Will stared out across the empty moor. No matter how many times he'd been there, the Solitary Plain still gave him the creeps. He imagined he could already hear the eerie music –if it could be called that- that wove its way through the plains and into the hearts of those who heard it.

In the days following the Gathering, more people had been killed, none of which had been in Seacliff, which was why he had been pulled from his fief to the mainland. He looked over at Halt as his ex-mentor examined some prints in the ground.

They had been following leads all around Araluen, even the most ungrounded ones. It wasn't like they had much to go on. So, now, he found himself with Halt at the very edge of the Solitary Plain, following a Celtic miner that had been spotted around the time of one of the murders and had also been seen talking with one of the victims. Sighing inwardly, Will tried to push down his frustration. He knew this would lead nowhere and all the while, the killer was getting away with more and more! Or just getting away.

As Halt remounted and headed off onto the plain, Will nudged Tug on the ribs and the little pony trotted off after the older pair. It took only seconds for Tug to catch up and the two Rangers road side by side in silence for what could have been hours. The only sound to be heard was that of the wind and the constant, eerie music.

They traveled for two days, across the Solitary Plain and along the border with Celtica, towards the coast. It was only once the cliffs and crashing waves were insight that they finally caught up with the man they'd been tracking. At the sight of the Rangers, the man kicked his horse in the sides, the creature letting out a whiny before bursting into a gallop. After having traveled for so long, the pair were not about to lose him now. The two took off in pursuit, both conscious of the increasingly nearing cliff edge.

The clouds darkened overhead, lightening flashing at sea. Rain poured down, battering and soaking everything. It was only moments before both Rangers' cloaks were soaked through. But, they were catching up. The Celtic pushed on, heading straight for the cliff.

Both Ranger horses skidded to a stop as they neared the edge but the other horse, blinded by the rain, didn't stop until the last moment. But it was too late. The cliff edge crumbled beneath it, sending both rider and horse down into the raging ocean water. Will and Halt stared in shock at the spot where the Celtic and horse had stood only moments before.

Will dismounted and slowly walked over to the edge, acknowledging Halt's warning to be careful. He peered over the edge, heart pounding in his chest. He thought he saw a flash of chestnut among the dark gray and white of the water that swirled among sharp rocks but he couldn't be sure.

After a minute, Halt joined him at the edge. There was no sign of the horse and rider and the storm was getting worse. Lightening was striking closer and closer to where they stood and more rain poured down, allowing them to only see twenty feet ahead of them.

"Come on Will," Halt yelled above the roar of the storm. "We have to find shelter. There's nothing more for us here."

Just as they turned to head back to Abelard and Tug, lightening struck once more, mere inches from where they stood. Will let out a shocked yell and jumped back, feeling the air crackle, sending his hair standing on end. But, his jump sent him back too far. Like with the Celtic, the ground fell out from beneath his feet and he was sent down into the salt water, just barley missing one of the rocks.

But even if he hadn't jumped back, he would have fallen anyway. The cliff edge split from where the lightening struck to diagonally out to the ocean. Halt didn't even have the chance to register what was going on before he too was sent tumbling down into the ocean, the water swallowing him up like it had done his ex-apprentice.

Will broke the surface, taking in a gulp of air before he was pulled back down underneath. It was too strange. Above the water, the storm raged and roared. Underneath, all was calm. But, he couldn't stay beneath. Fighting his way up again, he tried to breathe but his mouth was filled with water, making him sputter. The ocean water slammed him up against one of the rocks, cutting him in more places than he dared to count, the pain made worse by the salt that entered the wound.

He was hit against several more rocks before everything went dark and he slipped beneath the water, into the dark calm beneath.

**I know. I'm so mean. But it's not what you think. Read and review.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice nor any of the character except a few OC's and some future places.**

Will took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. He groaned as his senses started coming back to him. His head pounded painfully and he felt like he'd been battered against a rock repeatedly, which he had, he remembered, as his memory came rushing back to him. A coolness seeped into his forehead, relieving a miniscule amount of the pain.

He urged his eyes to open but they refused to budge. As he worked on gaining back control of his body, he became aware of a soft surface beneath him, feeling like some kind of pelt, or a few pelts. He would have thought he'd be cold, his clothes soaking wet, but he didn't feel cold nor wet. In fact, he felt warm and comfortable… and airy? His eyes snapped open.

Looking around, he found himself in some kind of large tent made of animal pelts sewn together. It stood tall enough that Horace could fit in without having to kneel down and twice as wide as it was tall, circular in shape. He was lying on a pile of pelts, one of the pelts lying over him as a blanket. A wide, shallow bowl made of wood filled with some kind of liquid was placed on the ground beside his head.

A young, dark-skinned woman was kneeling on the ground at his side. Her raven locks reached her waist, decorated by long bird feathers and beads braided into her hair, her face adorned by dark brown orbs. She wore a dress made of deer skin, also decorated by beads and wild designs sown in with colored cloth of some kind.

Will watched as the woman, probably only a few years older than him, lifted the cloth from his forehead. As the two stared at each other, he felt under the blanket for a few seconds before asking, his voice raspy from the ocean water he must have swallowed, "Where are my clothes?"

"Drying." It wasn't the woman who had spoken. This voice was a new voice, a deeper voice, a male voice. "You looked like a drowned rat when we fished you out of the sea."

Will turned his head, wincing at the sharp pain that shot through it, as he sat up. A man stood in the entryway to the tent, dressed in black trousers and a shirt dyed dark blue. Long dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail save for a few short locks that frame his face. Sharp green eyes studied Will, making him feel even more self-conscious than when he'd discovered he was naked. He could already tell this was a no-nonsense type person, even more so than Halt. The scar that ran from his left temple down to his jaw only reinforced the feeling.

"In fact," the man said. "You still look like one."

Will felt the heat rise in his face. "I do not!" He immediately regretted his rash words. He didn't know this man, nor the woman though she seemed harmless enough. He knew better than to give this man any reason to harm him.

Though, the man didn't appear angry. He just raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you do," he said.

Will had to force his eyes not to narrow into a glare. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, a thought he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of yet. "Halt!"

The man's own eyes narrowed. "Eh?"

"I-I was with someone, when we fell into the water. Did you find anyone else? An older man with a beard? And a cloak like mine."

The man nodded. "Yeah, we got him. He's under guard not far from here," he said.

"What?! Why?!"

"He threatened when we didn't tell him exactly where you were. Then he attacked when he was restrained."

"Why was he restrained?" Will demanded.

"Because he tried to come looking for you when he needed to rest. You're lucky you didn't come out with more wounds than you did. He was not so lucky."

"Is he ok?" Will asked, feeling a flash of panic.

The man nodded. "He would be better if he would stop fighting us."

Will smiled weakly. Yeah, that sounded like Halt. "Can I see him?" he asked.

The man watched him for several moments before turned his gaze to the woman. She smiled and nodded. He turned back to Will. "I don't see why not. Camoree will get you something to wear."

At the name, the woman got to her feet, walking over to the man. She paused at his side, looking at him with an expression Will had seen on Lady Pauline's face during her wedding to Will's mentor. The man, however, just watched her with an emotionless expression, not that she seemed to notice. After a moment or two, she left the tent, leaving the two men alone.

The man watched Will with the same empty expression while Will, finding it hard to meet the man's gaze for any length of time, looked around the tent again. Needless to say, Will was relieved when the woman, Camoree, returned. She handed him pants made of deer skin. He didn't bother asking for a shirt. He was lucky to get anything, judging by the look on the man's face.

Will glanced at the two strangers, grateful when they left the tent. "We'll be waiting outside," the man told him before leaving. "Don't even think of trying to escape."

Once alone, Will stood up, stepping onto the ground before pulling on the pants. They weren't uncomfortable but they felt odd. Not that he was complaining. That done, he walked over to the flap that served as a door of sorts. Pushing past it, he looked around.

The tent was just one of many that formed a vaguely circular shape. The people were all dark-skinned and dark-haired. Deer skin seemed to be the main type of material for clothing and, he noticed, none of the men wore shirts, but that didn't make him feel any better, or any less self-conscious.

The man was standing off to the side, watching the people talk and work. Some women were weaving baskets, some men were carving arrows out of sticks, others stood around talking before going on their way. Camoree had vanished.

When Will cleared his throat, the man turned his head towards him, looking him up and down. "Follow me," he said before walking away from the tent, leaving Will no choice but to follow.

They walked around the edge of the camp to a tent on the other side of the circle with a large man standing outside, a spear in his hand.

"What's your name?" Will asked as the neared the tent.

The man paused and looked back at Will. He didn't speak for several moments before saying, "Caleb," then continuing on to the tent.

"I'm Will. Will Treaty."

The man didn't reply.

Will stepped up to the tent and, hesitantly, pulled the flap out of the way, walking inside. This tent was much the same as the one he'd woken up in. Halt was laying on a similar pile of pelts though, unlike Will, he was alone. He was also dressed in the same deer-skin pants.

"Will!" Halt got to his feet, a flash of pain crossing his features as he moved.

"Halt!" Will hurried over to his mentor. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Are you?"

"Good. From the sound of things, I'm better than you are," he said.

Halt muttered under his breath but then relaxed. "I'm glad to hear it. Do you know where we are?"

Will shook his head. "No clue."

"You're on an island twenty miles off the south west coast of Araluen," Caleb told them from where he stood in the shadows of the tent. "You were washed down here by the storm would be my guess."

Halt watched the man suspiciously. He had the feeling they'd met before but, with him standing in the shadows, he couldn't quite be sure. "So, then, any idea how we can get off this island and back to Araluen?"

"Canoe," Caleb told him. "Unless you want to swim the whole way."

Halt was afraid he would say that.

"What's the rush?" Caleb asked.

"Trouble at home," Halt said.

Caleb frowned but otherwise did not react to the news. "Then we better get you home as soon as possible," he murmured.

Halt stepped closer to the man. "Have we met before?"

Caleb suddenly smiled, a small, sad smile, the upper half of his face hidden by shadows, though his green eyes shown like jewels in the darkness. "I'm surprised you don't remember me Halt," he said.

Halt surveyed the man as he stepped into the light before his eyes widened in the shock of recognition. His mouth fell open and he tried to speak but the words just wouldn't come.

"Halt? Do you know him?" Will asked. When his mentor didn't reply, he turned to Caleb. "Caleb?"

"Yes Will. We know each other," Caleb told him. "Sixteen years ago, I was his apprentice."


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice nor any of the character except a few OC's and some future places.**

Will's eyes widened as he looked from Caleb to Halt and back. "A-Apprentice?"

Caleb, however, had his gaze focused on his ex-mentor. Halt's entire body had gone tense and his face red with rage. He probably would have attacked Caleb right then and there had they been in Araluen. "How… Why… What…" Halt's anger was such that it wouldn't even allow him to finish his sentences.

Caleb just watched Halt with a sad calmness. "I didn't kill her, Halt."

"Didn't kill her?! I saw you shoot the arrow into her! How can you say you didn't kill her?!" Halt screamed.

"I didn't do it! I don't know what you saw but I didn't do it!"  
Will could already see where this was going, so stop it from going back and forth until they exhausted themselves or one killed the other, he asked Caleb, "So what _did_ happen?" He tried to keep the accusing tone from his voice but he just couldn't, not with him, not with the man that had –potentially and probably- caused his mentor so much pain.

Will could see the distress in Caleb's eyes and had to force himself not to feel pity for him. "I was practicing my shooting in front of the cabin, like I did every morning. I pulled back the string and prepared to fire then… nothing. When I came back to, I was standing over Tahlee with the bow string empty and the arrow sticking out of her chest. The next thing I know, Halt's running over, screaming at me."

"Liar!"

Before Will could stop him, or even react, Halt lunged at Caleb, taking the younger man by surprise and tackling him to the ground. For all Halt's years, and Caleb's youth, Halt managed to land several decent blows to Caleb's face before the younger male managed to throw him off. Will hurried over to his previous mentor's side just as he was getting up. Caleb was already on his feet.

"Halt, I don't know what you saw, but I didn't do it!" Caleb insisted. Will thought he was on the verge of tears. His distress was clear, though he doubted Halt would see it through his rage.

"I saw you kill her!"

"I didn't!"

"Caleb! Mehnk tem men oh! Mehnk tem men oh!" All eyes turned to the opening of the tent as one of the tribal men raced through it, eyes bulging and hands clenched around a spear.

"What did he say?" Will asked.

"We're being attacked," Caleb told him. He was staring at the warrior numbly. The tears that had started to form remained on the edge of falling. He suddenly straightened up, taking a deep breath. He said something to the warrior in the tribal language. The warrior nodded before turning and running out. Shouting could be heard from outside the tent.

Caleb glanced at Will and Halt. "Stay in here," he said. "This is not your fight." Without waiting for them to reply, he left the tent.

Will turned his gaze from the empty entry to Halt. The older man was staring at the spot where Caleb had been. Will couldn't tell what his mentor was thinking but, then again, he'd never been able to. "Halt, what are we going to do? I know what he did but we need his help to get back to Araluen."

"I would rather die than ask for his help," Halt snarled.

"That's all fine and dandy but what about Pauline?" Will asked. _And Alyss_, he added silently. "Can you bear never seeing her again? And what would she think of you? They probably think we're dead. Especially when Tug and Abelard are found without us."

Halt frowned deeply. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Will was right.

"I know how much you wish to avenge the death of your daughter," Will said cautiously. "But she is going, while Pauline is still here."

Will watched as Halt sighed deeply and nodded. "Very well, but if we need his help, we will need to keep him alive."

"We're going to fight?"

"We're going to fight."

"But we don't even have our knives," Will pointed out. "They took them when they fished us out."

"We'll just have to use what we can," Halt told him before heading to the entry and out, Will following close behind.

The clearing was chaos. Bodies filled the clearing. It was a blur of dark skin and deer skin. Caleb was a lone dot of light skin and dark clothing among the mess. Halt and Will skirted the clearing to where a pile of sticks lay. Neither of them were used to fighting with sticks or, rather, anything other than knives and their bows and arrows, but there was always a first time for everything.

Will grabbed one of the sticks before turning to face the clearing. There was a saying amongst Rangers: One riot, one ranger. But, this wasn't a riot. This was… He didn't even know what this was. But, before he could think of anything else, he found himself fighting face to face with one of the intruders.

What he noticed when he looked back at the battle was how much darker the skin of the intruders was, such a dark brown it was almost black. He lifted the stick, one hand at either end, just in time to block a blow from the intruder, the rough stone blade stopping no more than a few inches from Will's face.

Will backed up a step and ducked, just narrowly avoiding getting his throat sliced open. He slid one hand down to join the other and rammed one end of the stick into the intruder's stomach, watching with a twinge of satisfaction as the warrior gripped his stomach and stumbled back, right into the grasp of a tribal warrior.

Looking around, he was once again thrown into battle with another warrior. But, this time, he wasn't so lucky. He ended up with a large cut across one of his upper arms. Trying to force away the pain, he continued to fight on. The attack ended almost as quickly as it had started but, even so, there were casualties on both sides. Many were injured, and not just warriors. Women and children had been injured as well but, luckily, none had been killed.

Will immediately began searching for his mentor, only relaxing when he spotted the older man sitting on the ground not far away, accepting a bowl, probably filled with water, from one of the young women. Will walked over to Halt as the woman left. He sat down beside his mentor, examining the wound of his arm.

"You ok?" Will looked up at the sound of Halt's voice. He saw that his mentor had a bruise forming on one shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm ok. It's just a cut," Will said, shrugging. "You?"

Halt nodded. "They were fierce but they weren't very skilled."

"I'd noticed."

"Thank you for your help." Both the Rangers looked up at the sound of Caleb's voice. Caleb himself had a cut along the side of his forehead and part of his shirt was torn but, other than that, he looked fine. "Though, I can't help wondering why you did. I have given you no reason to help me."

"And we've given you no reason to help us," Will pointed out, glancing at Halt who glared at Caleb. "But we do need your help."

"Of course. You need my help getting back to Araluen," Caleb said.

Will nodded. "Will you help us?"

"It'd be rude not to, after you just risked your lives to fight for us."


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I know I haven't updated in forever but it's not my fault! It's complicated and I don't completely understand it myself but, for some reason, I can't update on my computer at home and I only just realized I can update from school. I don't want to have to –in case I get caught- so my updates will be incredibly slow (though quicker than they've been. Don't shoot me!) Anyway, I wrote this chapter forever ago. I'll try to get to work on the next chapter between my school work and my own stories. Anyway, enjoy! **

Will looked over at his mentor in sympathy but didn't dare approach the hunched over figure at the railing. The waves were nothing compared to what he had endured on the crossing to Skandia. In fact, they were even smaller than the ones experienced when they came back from Hibernia and landed in Picta but still Halt's seasickness persevered.

"So, who exactly were they?" Will asked Caleb who stood near the mast of the ship.

There had been no ship among the tribe, only small canoes, so they had had to travel to a settlement on the coast and barter passage on board, after convincing the settlers that they weren't savages.

Caleb looked up. He had been standing facing away from the mast but Will could see his nails digging into the wood. He could also see that the ex-ranger was looking a bit pale. "Huh? Who?" he asked quickly.

"The ones who attacked the tribe," Will explained.

"Oh. They're the Mishdungo," Caleb told him. "They're a vicious, blood-thirsty people. They crave war and look for the opportunity to attack. I've even heard stories about them killing and eating their prisoners."

Will's eyes widened and he suddenly felt as sick as his mentor and Caleb. "You mean they're…?"

"Cannibals? Possibly, probably."

Before Will could say anything, the ship gave a sudden lurch down. Will let out a yelp, being thrown off balance and landing on his stomach. Almost immediately, the ship gave another lurch, making him roll a few feet one way.

"What's happening?" Will called.

"I don't know," Caleb told him, clinging all the more tightly to the mast. "People believe this body of water is protected by ancient spirits, forbidding any sailor from crossing. Either way, this pass is treacherous. That's why I never tried to go back to Araluen."

"That, and the price on your head?"

"Yeah, that too."

The lurching lasted for several minutes before they passed into calmer Araluan waters. Once things calmed down, Will pushed himself up to his feet and made his way over to where Halt was still clinging to the ship's railing.

Will threw himself at the top rail, wrapping his arms around it. The sick feeling he had received at the news of the possible cannibalism had never left him but had gotten worse with the thrashing waves.

"Hey, are you ok?" Will asked.

Halt slowly turned to face his old apprentice, sending him a look that would have made Will back away slowly had he not felt like he was going to throw up.

Will had no idea he could have felt more relieved than when they set foot back on solid ground. His stomach still churned every few steps but it was quickly calming. He looked over at Halt and Caleb.

"What now?" he asked them, the pair watching the ship sailing away.

Halt shook his head and walked back over. "We'll have to walk back to Araluen."

Will grimaced at the thought. He could already feel his feet aching. "I was afraid you would say that."

"There's nothing else for us to do," Halt told him.

"We'd better get going," Caleb said, walking away from the beach and over to them.

"What are you even doing here?" Halt was still hostile towards his former apprentice, understandably.

"They kicked me off the ship," Caleb muttered.

"Why?" Will asked.

"I took a swing at the captain for calling me… something."

"What?"

"You don't want to know," Caleb said.

Will looked over at Halt who shrugged.

The three set off. The sun was starting to sink in the sky by then but, with no tent and no materials, they had no camp to set up. The best they could hope for was a copse of trees. Unfortunately, they found nothing even close to such and spent a cold night on the hard ground, huddled together, though reluctantly.

In the morning, they had nothing to eat and left hungry, cold and sore all over. Caleb kept his distance from Will and Halt, both physically and emotionally. He spoke rarely and, when he did offer his opinions, Halt quickly shot him down.

While Halt was unwilling to give his ex-apprentice a chance, Will could see the pain written on Caleb's face. He wasn't forgiving Caleb for the pain he'd caused their mentor but he was starting to think that Caleb had been suffering for as long as Halt had. His ex-mentor's hatred was like rubbing salt in a reopened wound and Will couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Halt? How far are we from the border?" Will asked.

He watched his mentor look around, not answering right away. "Not far."

"What are we going to do about him when we get there?" Will asked, motioning towards Caleb. "He can't enter Araluen, can he?"

"No. He'll be on his own."

"Halt, it's been sixteen years. Don't you think you should hear what he has to say?"

"No."

"Halt-."

"Drop it!"

Will fell silent and looked back ahead. Even though he let it drop for now, his mind raced. As he started to get to know Caleb's nature more and more, he saw that Caleb was a lot like himself, which scared him. How had Caleb gone from apprentice Ranger to murderer? And of his mentor's daughter and his own fiancée none the less?

Looking back at Caleb, the older man had his eyes on the ground, one of his hands gripping a stick he had picked up earlier that morning. He looked the picture of downhearted. He just couldn't imagine someone like him hurting another person let alone killing them in cold blood. Maybe Halt really had made a mistake, as improbable as that seemed. Maybe-.

The sound of rapidly approaching hoof beats pulled Will from his thoughts. "Tug!" He ran forward to meet his horse, barely seeing Abelard who raced to meet his own master. Will and Tug collided almost painfully but Will hardly noticed, too busy checking Tug over before throwing his arms around the little horse's neck.

The sound of more hoof beats made Will look up. He could see mounted men, most likely soldiers, coming towards them but slowing before they hit the Rangers. He thought he recognized one of the soldiers from Redmont but he couldn't be sure.

"Ranger Will? Ranger Halt?" The soldiers looked just as surprised to see them as the Rangers were to see them.

"Yes?" Halt stepped forward to stand beside Will, Abelard trotting after him to stand beside his master.

"So, it really is you," the soldier said. He opened his mouth to say something but his eyes looked beyond them and hardened. "What do we have here? Caleb Galhan."

Will looked back over his shoulder and watched as Caleb stepped forward. His eyes were empty of any emotion, though he must have been nervous.

"You have a lot of nerve coming back here when you know there's an outstanding warrant for your head."

Caleb just nodded.

"Then, under order of the king, I place you under arrest for murder."


	8. Chapter 7

** Author's Note: Because of the gap in my updating, I haven't read the series as much as I could have so some of the facts may be wrong. **

The ride to Castle Araluen was bleak. The skies overhead were overcast, the clouds hanging low from their burden. From where Will rode beside Halt, he could see the nervous glances the soldiers sent at Caleb though the ex-ranger either ignored them or didn't see them, though Will couldn't see how he couldn't. Or maybe he just didn't care. Caleb stared ahead, lost in his own thoughts. He looked as if he were grieving his fiancée's death all over again.

Looking over at Halt, he saw that his ex-mentor was also lost in his thoughts. Will frowned and looked ahead. He longed to say something, if only to break the silence that engulfed them, but it seemed wrong. The very _thought_ of saying anything seemed too loud. Besides, the last time he'd tried to say something, Halt had quickly silenced him.

Glancing down at Tug, he reached a hand out and halfheartedly scratched the shaggy pony on the neck. Tug shook his head, giving a snort. Will smiled weakly. It did cheer him up but not by much. He didn't think anything could.

They reached Castle Araluen after a week of travel, having to move slowly due to the weather taking a turn for the worst. When the castle walls came into view, Will felt like he'd never be dry again. The only bright side was seeing Alyss again, remembering that she and her mentor, Lady Pauline, were there for a conference with other couriers from around the country. When they entered the castle walls and he saw her standing there, waiting for him, he felt just a tiny bit lighter.

As soon as they stopped and he'd climbed down from Tug's back, she walked over to them. He enfolded her in his arms the moment she was close enough, feeling her own arms wrap around his neck. Feeling her lips against his cheek, he turned his head so her lips met his own.

It would have been perfect except a commotion caught their attention. Will looked over to see the soldiers escorting a shackled Caleb towards the castle doors.

"Will, who is that?" Alyss asked quietly.

He sighed deeply. "Caleb Galhan," he told her. "He killed Halt's daughter."

Alyss' jaw dropped, eyes widening. "I didn't even know Halt _had_ a daughter."

Will shrugged. "It wasn't like anyone had any reason to mention it," he pointed out. Actually, he wouldn't have been surprised if only a handful of people had known at all.

"Oh, poor Halt."

Will grunted in agreement. "I'd better get inside," he said. "Get dried off. I can't imagine them holding off the court proceedings for very long."

"Do you think Halt will want to be there?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "but I want to. Something about this just doesn't seem right."

As the pair started towards the door, Alyss asked, "You don't think he did it?"

"I don't know," he confessed. "Halt says he saw it with his own eyes but I just can't see a guy like Caleb killing anyone, and definitely not out of cold blood. Granted, I haven't known him for very long but it just doesn't feel right."

"Well, I trust you're judgment," Alyss told him.

He looked at her and smiled, seeing her sincerity. "Thanks."

Hours later, Will found himself standing in the shadows at the very back of the courtroom. His now dry cloak concealed him well enough. Halt, however, had chosen not to be present and was currently spending time with his wife, Lady Pauline. However, considering the circumstances, Will doubted they were doing anything that would have been publicly inappropriate. He was curious about Lady Pauline's opinion about Halt having had a daughter but, then, he guessed that she would have been one of the few who'd have known of the girl's existence.

"Caleb Galhan, you are accused of the murder of Tahlee Brayer." The official's voice pulled Will from his thoughts. "How do you plead?"

Will couldn't see Caleb's face but he watched as the ex-ranger slowly raised his head. He waited anxiously to hear what Caleb would say but the other didn't say anything. He looked at official, then to King Duncan, who was acting as judge, before lowering his head again, remaining silent.

Duncan frowned and looked at the official who looked back helplessly. The king turned his attention back to Caleb. "What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked.

Caleb said something but, from where Will stood, he couldn't make it out. Apparently, neither could King Duncan because he leaned forward. "Speak up, boy!"

Caleb lifted his head again and Will swore he saw him trembling. "I said, I didn't kill her." Will could hear the tears in his voice and was surprised he didn't start crying right then and there. At least, that would have been the preferred over what _did_ happen.

"I didn't kill her! I didn't kill her! I didn't kill her!" Caleb spoke louder and louder until he was yelling it. His hands were clamped over his ears and he hunched forward. Will could feel the tension in the air, and the fear. People were scared. Those that weren't scared were definitely disturbed.

"Be silent!" Duncan's order was all but covered by Caleb's yelling chant.

"I didn't kill her! I didn't kill her! I didn't kill her!"

Duncan frowned, as distressed by the chanting as everyone else. Will watched Caleb intensely, not wanting to watch but unable to look away. Because of that, he didn't see Duncan motion to one of the guards. The large man, at the king's command, walked over to Caleb's hunched figure, raised a mighty fist and brought it down on the man's head with such force that Caleb's yelling immediately fell silent and he fell from his chair, slumping to the floor, unconscious.

"The court is adjourned until such a time that we can get a _sane_ answer from him," King Duncan told those present. "Court dismissed."

Later that night, Will lay in the room that was temporarily assigned to him. Halt had left shortly after supper, muttering something about getting back to Redmont. He suspected that his mentor's only reason for leaving so soon was because he didn't want to hear anymore talk about Caleb.

Will didn't doubt Halt's judgment of what he saw but he also didn't doubt his own eyes and ears. He didn't know what happened but he did know that if he had to sit through another of Caleb's fits, he was going to lose it and yet his curiosity refused to let him leave. He didn't know what happened all those years ago, but he was going to find out.

**Author's Note: I know it's a bit shorter than usual and I'd planned to make it longer but I decided to split the chapter into two parts. Read and review.**


	9. Chapter 8

Will's footsteps echoed almost silently as he descended the stairs leading down to the dungeon. The further down he went, the colder the surrounding air got. He shivered, drawing his cloak around him. The guard at the bottom of the stairs hardly glanced at him. Will guessed it was due to the fact that he was there to keep people in, not out.

The dungeon was nearly empty, the rows of cells empty except for two. Will walked past the man in ragged clothes who was looking like he planned to kill him in the sleep. Caleb looked up when Will approached before looking back down. He sat with his back against the wall, one of his legs bent and his forearm resting on his knee.

"What do you want?" Caleb asked halfheartedly.

"The truth," Will answered, stopping in front of the cell.

Caleb glanced up again. "I didn't kill her," he said. "I don't know what Halt saw or what he told, but I didn't kill her. I couldn't. I loved her with my entire being."

"I believe you," Will told him.

Caleb's eyes widened. "Y-You do? But why?"

He shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "but I do, and I don't want an innocent man to be punished for something he didn't do. But, in order for me to figure out what really _did_ happen, you need to tell me what you saw and heard. Anything out of the ordinary."

"But there wasn't really anything out of the ordinary."

"Nothing at all?"

"Well…" Caleb sighed. "There was this old guy, the day before. And when I say old, I mean need-a-walking-stick, can't-live-on-his-own old. I had been practicing my archery…"

And so, Caleb told Will a tale from the not-so-distant past.

_ Caleb stared down the length of the arrow, eyes locked on the target hanging from the branch of a tree. It swayed lightly in the breeze but Caleb didn't move to accommodate. He stood there for what seemed like forever, still as stone. Finally, he released. The arrow sailed through the air, flying right past the moving target and embedding itself in the trunk of the tree behind it. _

_ Lowering his bow, Caleb cursed. He had never been as good with the bow and arrow as he had with his knives. Reaching into his quiver, he placed the arrow into its place on the bow, took aim and drew back the string. He held the stance for several seconds. _

_ "Hey there, young fella!" The sudden sound of an unexpected voice right when Caleb released the arrow sent the projectile off course. Instead of hitting the target, it skimmed off the side, ricocheted off a tree, flew past an old man who jumped back with a yell of surprise and buried itself into a young oak._

_ Caleb's jaw dropped. Setting down his bow, he hurried over to the old man. "Oh my gosh. I am so sorry," he said. "Are you ok?"_

_ The old man nodded, smiling weakly. "Not to worry," he said. "Nothing like a near-death experience to wake a person up."_

_ Caleb blinked, looking at him for several seconds. "But you weren't asleep."_

_ The old man's smiled faltered but it remained, stubbornly. "Ah, yes, well, I'm afraid I'm a wee bit lost," he said. "By any chance could you point me in the direction of Castle Redmont?"_

_ Caleb nodded and pointed off towards the arrow that had nearly turned the old man into a shish kebab. "That way," he said. "Just keep going. You can't miss it."_

_"Much thanks, young fella," the old man said. He nodded to Caleb before walking off in the direction Caleb had said._

_"Hm_." What an odd little man_, he thought. Walking over to the arrows, he pulled both out and returned them to his quiver. He laid another arrow in his bow, took aim and froze. Frowning, he noticed the shadows the sun cast had moved significantly. _

_ When he commented about it to Halt at supper that night, Halt frowned. _

_ "You ought to spend more time practicing and less time chatting and looking at shadows," his mentor scolded. "You know what they say. 'An ordinary archer practices until he gets it right. A Ranger-.'"_

"Practices until he never gets it wrong," Will finished.

Caleb nodded solemnly. "And I still can't shot a bow to save my life," he said.

"What happened the day Tahlee was killed?" Will asked.

Caleb winced before shaking his head. "I was practicing my shooting, just like every day," he said. "It was about noon, I guess. Tahlee came out to tell me lunch was ready. I told her I would be in shortly and she said that the food would be growing mould by the time I finally hit my target. Then she told me to go inside and went to retrieve my arrows from the various trees."

He suddenly broke off and took a deep breath. Will waited patiently for him to continue. Caleb took another deep but shaky breath. Will could see the tears welling up in the ex-ranger's eyes, even in the faint, flickering torchlight.

"I blinked. That's all. One moment, she was walking away to get my arrows. I blinked and she was on the ground. An arrow was in her back. Halt was yelling, screaming really." He stopped again, the tears spilling down his face. His voice broke as he said, "I didn't kill her. I just blinked."

His eyes had drifted past Will, focusing on something behind the young ranger, as if looking into the past. But, Caleb's eyes suddenly focused on him. "Do you still believe I'm innocent?" he asked. "You'd be crazy if you do. I've been called crazy. Sometimes I think I am. After all, my story is crazy. Maybe I did kill her. Maybe I _am_ crazy."

"No," Will said. "I don't know what really happened but I'm going to find out. You're not crazy and neither am I. And I _do_ believe you."

Caleb let out a short, bitter laugh. "Well, thanks, but I doubt you can do anything to change the court's mind. They're already convinced I'm crazy. It won't take them long to convict me as a murder. I'll be hung before you can find anyway to prove me innocent."

Will shook his head. "I won't let you be hung," he said. "I will prove you innocent and I'll make sure that the real killer is brought to justice."

"Good luck to you," Caleb muttered, wiping the tears from his face. "You'll need it."

As it turned out, Caleb was right. It was harder to find out anything about Caleb or Tahlee than Will had imagined, even among the Ranger Corps. It seemed, people were unwilling to talk about what had happened, at least those old enough to even know about it were. Will ended up getting quite a lot of blank looks when he mentioned Caleb or Tahlee.

Frustrated, Will walked away from yet _another_ person apologizing about not knowing anything but promising to keep an ear open. It probably wouldn't do any good anyway since it seemed Caleb and Tahlee were a taboo subject among those that did know about them.

"You should just let it go." Will jumped at a voice and spun around to see Crowley leaning against a nearby wall, frowning. "It won't do any good."

Will's eyes narrowed when he saw just how much the head of the Ranger Corps had aged since the Gathering. Apparently, searching for the serial killer that was still on the lose had taken its toll on Crowley, the years finally starting to catch up with him.

"I won't let an innocent man be punished for something he didn't do," Will told him. "Not so long as I can help it."

"He's not innocent," Crowley said. "Even before he killed Tahlee, there was always something off about him. I never trusted the lad and only let him in because Tahlee liked him. Shows how much sense she had for people." He shook his head. "It was her only flaw. Too trusting."

"I'm sorry, Crowley, but I just can't believe it," Will said. Changing the subject, he asked, "How many more have been killed?"

"Twelve," Crowley told him. "Three barons among them."

Will felt his blood run cold. "Three barons? How?"

"Poison. This killer is getting more creative."

_At least it can't be Caleb_, Will thought. Caleb had been on that island when the killings all happened, and then with Will and Halt, then in custody. "Are there no clues?"

Crowley shook his head. "None," he said. "Whoever is doing this is a professional."

"An assassin?"

"I doubt it. There would be no reason to go after servants or apprentices."

Will was reminded that in Redmont, a servant and battle school apprentice had been killed, though for what reason he couldn't imagine.

"Anyway, I can't stand around chatting to the likes of you all day," Crowley suddenly said. "I have work to do." He pushed away from the wall and started to walk away only to stop and look back at Will. "If you insist on investigating Tahlee's murder, I suggest you ask around at Dynephous."

Will frowned, having never heard the name before. "Where's that?"

"Up north," Crowley answered. "About two days right east of Macindaw. It's where Caleb grew up until he was thirteen. But be careful. The people up there are a little, uh, different. Good luck, Will."

And so, the next day, I set off for Dynephous.


	10. Chapter 9

To say that Dynephous was different would be an understatement. When Will first saw it, coming down the hills that surrounded the northern town, it didn't appear any different from any other town but as he approached, he realized right away that he may very well have been in over his head.

As he and Tug trotted closer to the town, he had the feeling of being watched. Glancing around, he saw nothing and no one but, try as he might, he couldn't shake the feeling. But, Tug made no sign that he sensed any danger so Will forced himself to relax.

The forest around them, though it was only late summer, was already starting to turn color. There was a brisk chill in the air as he rode into town. The chill seemed to get even colder when he noticed the suspicious glances people were shooting him. Not fearful or nervous, but suspicious. Hostile. Granted, he could name several groups of people that didn't like him –maybe even hated him- but he'd never come across a whole _town_ that looked like they wanted him dead.

Pulling his hood up over his head, he looked straight ahead, painfully aware of his heart beating in his chest. Riding through town, he went directly to the nearest inn. He had found in the past that the local inn was the best place to find information. He didn't expect it to be any different in Dynephous.

Coming to a stop outside the inn, be climbed off Tug's back and brought him around to the stables, for appearance's sake. He knew Tug wouldn't wander off but the townspeople didn't know that. So, once Tug was settled, Will walked back around to the front and entered the inn.

On one side of the room, a young man was playing a lute while a woman sang. The place was mostly full but there were a few places to sit still left open. But, Will walked right up to the bar. The man behind the counter was bald, muscular and missing an eye. For the most part, Will was ignored except for the few glances shot towards him, mostly through narrowed eyes.

The barman glanced away from the singing woman when Will approached but he didn't glare at the younger ranger like others did. Instead, he watched him with curiosity rather than suspicion. "'ey there, youngsta," he said. "What can I get ya?"

"Whatever's for supper and a room," Will told him, pulling up a seat at the bar.

"Ah, ya staying is ya?" the man asked.

Will blinked in surprise and nodded. "For a while," he said. "How did you know?"

The barman grinned. "No un comes through the likes a 'ere 'less they have to," he told him before walking over to a doorway and leaning in, calling, "Throw on another rack, Missie!"

"You got it!" came the reply.

Will looked over at the woman and lute player when they finished their song, bringing forth a round of applause from their audience. The lute player couldn't have been more than sixteen while the woman would have been in her late twenties. Both had strawberry blond hair, tanned skin and shockingly blue eyes.

"That there's Henry and Lizzie Baker," the bartender told him. "I swears that I never did see a finer pair a siblin's this side a the fief border."

"They certainly are a sight for sore eyes," Will agreed.

"Speakin' a borders," he said. "Where did you say you was from?"

"I didn't," Will told him. "I'm from Redmont."

The man's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. That certainly is quite the ways from this here little place."

"It is."

"What is it that's a brought you up 'ere?"

Will wasn't entirely sure whether he was able to trust the man or not so he decided to play it safe. "My friend asked me to check in on available housing up here," he lied. "He'd have come himself but his workload was downright cruel. I owed him a favor so he decided to call me up on it."

"Oh, well, I'm 'fraid I haven't 'eard of anyone willin' ta sell theys place."

Will shrugged. "That's alright," he said. "I'll have a look around anyway. You never know."

"'ey Kensy, who's yer friend?" The lute player had wandered over to the bar and sat himself in the seat beside Will as Missie brought out a plate of food and placed it before him.

"This here's … uh…"

"Will Jordan," Will said, digging into the beef ribs, potatoes and assorted vegetables that had been placed before him. He had decided not to use the name he'd used in Macindaw, in case word of him had spread.

"Ah, well, welcome to Dynephous, Will," Henry said, shaking Will's hand. "What's your business here?"

Will's eyebrows shut up. "Certainly don't beat around the bush, do you?"

Henry shrugged. "Personality defect," he said.

"He's 'ere lookin' fer a house fer his friend," Kensy told him.

"I haven't heard anything about anyone sellin'," Henry said. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, you wouldn't know him," Will answered. "Here's never been up here, only heard about it."

Kensy slowly nodded and glanced at Henry who said, "You can drop the bull now."

Will frowned, looking from one man to the other and back. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Henry scoffed. "How dumb do ya think we are?"

"We know ya ain't tellin' the truth," Kensy said. "Ya clench your fists when ya lie."

"So, what are ya _really_ doing here?" Henry asked.

"And who are ya _really_?" Kensy added.

Will looked between the two of them, stuffing a mouthful of food into his mouth to stall for time. However, the two watched him intently, making him want to squirm in his seat. In the time it took him to chew and swallow, he realized the inn had gone silent. Glancing over his shoulder, he realized everyone in the inn was watching them.

Sighing, he decided that if he was going to get any information, or even get out of there alive, he'd have to start telling the truth. "The truth is, there's someone at Castle Araluen who is all but convicted," Will told them. "All the evidence points to him but I don't believe he's guilty. Someone told me that if I was determined to pursue this, I should come looking up here."

Henry and Kensy looked at each other then back at Will. "Who's the convicted?" Henry asked.

"Caleb Galhan."

If it was possible, the room went even more silent. Will looked around, conscious of his heart beating, once again.

"What did he do?" Kensy's voice was barely audible. The man's hands gripped the edge of the bar, his knuckles turning white.

"He's accused of murdering his fiancée," Will told him quietly. Something was obviously wrong. The looks on the faces of those present were a mixture of shock and disbelief. Kensy, however, didn't look anything at all. He just stared down at the wood between his hands.

Suddenly, the large man pushed away from the bar, turned and stormed out of the inn, walking stiffly out the front door. No one moved. Will, after a few moments' hesitation, got up and followed after Kensy. The bartender was pacing in front of the inn, his breathing easily heard from where Will stood in the doorway.

Stepping into the night which had descended over the world, Will slowly walked closer to Kensy who had stopped pacing and stood with one hand covering his mouth. Will carefully placed a hand on Kensy's shoulder, feeling the man tense up beneath his grip before relaxing again.

"Kensy, I-I'm sorry," Will told him. "I didn't mean to upset anyone. What did I say?"

Kensy shook his head, lowering his hand from his mouth. "It ain't that boy." He took a deep breath, his single green eye looking Will directly in the face. "He's me son," he said. "Caleb's me son."

**Author's Note: I'm not very happy with how this chapter has turned out, mostly because I don't know how Will would actually react in a situation like this. But, it had to be done. Don't tell me that Will is a bit OOC at the moment, because I know. Tell me how I could have made him less OOC. Read and review.**


	11. Chapter 10

Will stared at Kensy in shock. Caleb… was his son? He hadn't even though of the possibility of Caleb having a family. For some reason, he'd just assumed that Caleb had been an orphan, like him. But, now that he knew the truth, he could see the family resemblance. They both had the same eyes, or eye, in Kensy's case. They had the same nose and the same ears. But, where Caleb was lean-muscled, Kensy had more bulk, a bit like Horace.

Kensy shook his head and turned away. "I can't believe it," he said. "He was always a bit restless and impatient but that ain't no crime. He was a good boy, he was."

"I don't think he did it," Will told him. "I came here to try and figure out what _did_ happen."

Kensy turned his head, looking at Will. "What could we possibly know?" he asked.

Will shrugged. "I honestly have no idea but Crowley wouldn't have sent me up here without a reason."

"An' Crowley is…?"

Will started to speak then stopped. "He's… well… I guess you could say, in a way, he's my boss."

"Well, I don't know what he thought was up 'ere but we don't know anything about a murder," Kensy told him. "Actually, when Caleb didn't come back from 'is huntin' trip with friends, we assumed they'd been killed. We looked for 'em but didn't find them, not even bodies."

"Where was it they were supposed to go hunting?" Will asked.

"Up near Riley's cliff," Kensy said.

"Tomorrow, could you show me where that is?"

Kensy nodded. "Sure. You thinkin' there's something we'd a missed?"

"It's a possibility," Will told him. "I also want to ask around, learn a bit more about Caleb. Maybe if I can understand him, I can start to piece things together."

Will wasn't sure what he was hoping for, only that he was hoping for _something_.

Dead leaves crunched under the hooves of their horses –or, in Will's case, pony- as he and Kensy rode up the hills. Their breath formed clouds in front of them as they rode higher, making Will glad he had taken his winter cloak with him. He pulled the cloak tighter around him as they crossed a short, treeless expanse, the wind clawing at their clothes.

"How much further is it?" Will asked.

"Not far," the large man told him. Kensy had been very quiet all day and Will had not questioned him about it. He knew why.

Kensy had been right when he said it wasn't much further. Will guessed it wasn't even five minutes before they turned a corner and the path they'd been following suddenly stopped. Before them was a sheer drop of over one hundred feet. It wasn't a long drop, at least not as far as cliffs were concerned, but it was enough to kill someone.

Kensy led his horse away from the cliff, back into the trees before climbing off. Will did the same.

"We'll have ta walk from 'ere," Kensy told him as he tied his horse's reins to a tree branch. "There ain't any paths from 'ere to the campsite."

"You know where it is?" Will looked at him in surprise.

Kensy shrugged. "It's a well known site. Anyone that comes up 'ere uses it."

Will wasn't sure why he was so surprised. A campsite was hardly top secret information. Anyone could have found out about it. Even someone just passing through. "How many people know about it?" he asked as Kensy led him away from their horses.

"Everybody in town."

"What about newcomers?" he asked. "Any new people in town? Anyone passing through?"

"Other than you? None."

Will knew what Halt would say if his ex-mentor ever found out he was following someone he'd just met into the forest with not a single other person around for miles. And without his bow and arrows. _But I've still got my knives_, he thought. And he couldn't see any weapons on Kensy. Though, he knew well enough that just because he didn't see them didn't mean they weren't there.

It did not take them long to reach the campsite, though it was little more than a clearing. There was a fire pit next to a fallen log but no other sign of it being a campsite.

"When was the last time this place was used?" Will asked.

"Not since Caleb and the boys went missin'," Kensy told him, staring off into the distance. "Some believe this place is haunted. I believe they're superstitious lunatics."

Will smiled weakly before walking across to the fire pit. The ashes were quite old. Very old. "And you say you never found any bodies?"

"None. All their huntin' gear was here, and their tents and campin' gear. But they were just gone."

He scanned the site, looking for any sign. Even after all those years, it was possible that something could have been left behind. Unlikely, but possible. Unfortunately, there was nothing. "Where did you check?" Will asked.

Kensy blinked, looking dazed as if pulled from a deep sleep. "Eh?"

"Where did you check?" Will repeated. "Can you show me?"

Kensy nodded before leading the ranger out into the forest, away from the cliff. They followed what looked like a well worn path that had been allowed to grow over. Then again, Kensy _had_ said that the campsite hadn't been used in over ten years. But, even after all that time, there were still traces of its previous use.

Kensy showed Will all of the places the townspeople had looked for the missing children and he found absolutely nothing. Frustration rolling around his stomach, he followed the older man back to where they had left the horses.

"I had been kinda wishin' that you'd a found something," Kensy told him as they walked back. "I know what happened to Caleb but the other parents, they still got nothin'."

Will nodded. He wished he could have found some indication of what had happened to the others but there had been nothing. Either there had been nothing to begin with or time had wiped it away. Or buried it.

It slammed into him like a sledgehammer and he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before.

"Kensy! Where was the campsite again?" Will asked quickly.

The older man paused and looked at him in confusion. "Back that way," he said pointing off towards the site.

Will hurried back to the campsite, his excitement at his idea and the setting sun forcing him to move faster. Once he arrived, he walked straight over to the fire pit, using a stick to dig through the ash. The sun rays that slanted through the trees caught on some object, making Will stop.

Reaching down, he picked up the thing, eyes widening.

"What is it?" Kensy asked. He sounded out of breath, having raced to keep up with the younger, fitter male.

"I don't know but I've got a pretty good idea."

Sitting in his hand was a fragment of a green stone, so similar to the Stellatite rock Alyss had encountered in Macindaw, while being kept as Keren's prisoner, that it made Will's mind race. _This_. This was what he had been looking for.

**Author's Note: Not one of my better chapters but I'm quite content about how it turned out. What do you all think? I know Will has been a bit OOC but I'd like to hear –or read- what you guys think. And if you tell me that, yes, he is being OOC, tell me why you think that. I can't change anything unless you guys give me something to work with. Read and review.**

**Author's Note #2: Having a bit of a writer's block. Don't expect the next chapter(s) to come quickly. **


	12. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: I have realized that I never actually said when this story took place. So, it would be sometime between The Siege of Macindaw and The Kings of Clonmel.**

"What is it?"

"I'm entirely sure but I've got a suspicion."

"Mind sharing yer suspicion?"

"I'd rather not. At least not until I'm completely sure."

Will set down the green rock on the table in front of him. The inn was surprisingly quiet that night though he was grateful for it. His thoughts were racing as to what the discovery meant. He wasn't sure if it was like the Stellatite rock but he was going to find out. The next day, he planned to ride out of Dynephous to Macindaw and stop in on Malcolm to see if _he_ knew about this odd little stone.

"Jeez Will, you bin starin' at that thing fer hours," Kensy said after he had given one of the patrons their drink and meal.

Will just grunted, not wanting to reveal to Kensy how important this could be in case it turned out to be nothing at all. He didn't want to get the man's hopes up, or his own. Even though the fragment of rock looked similar to the Stellatite, it wasn't the same, making Will wonder if the properties would be the same or different.

He retired early that night, determined to get an early start the next morning. He didn't want to be tired for the ride to Macindaw.

As he lay in his bed, Will's mind wandered back to Castle Araluen and Castle Redmont. Had Halt arrived back home safely? Had Alyss gone back yet? Was she safe? Did she miss him? He knew, for certain, that he missed her. _Does Caleb ever miss Tahlee?_ The question came so suddenly that Will was shocked. He hadn't even considered the possibility. Did Caleb miss Tahlee? Did he miss his fiancée? Will assumed that he would but Caleb was not someone whose thoughts and motives were easily guessed.

Will did not sleep well that night and he woke up late instead of early. When he awoke to the sound of chatter and clatter downstairs, he mentally lectured himself. He had trained long enough under Halt to be able to wake up early and to go for days without sleep, though he always ended up cranky towards the end.

Deciding that there was nothing he could do about the crowds or his sleeping in, he got up and prepared himself to leave.

The inn was indeed very busy that morning as Will descended the stairs. Perhaps, with the crowds, he could sneak past Kensy and any questions the man might have. He didn't want to leave Kensy in the dark, nor desert the man, but he needed to get to Macindaw as soon as possible. Besides, there was still the risk of false hope. He didn't want to bring Kensy's hopes up only for them to come crashing down again.

Well, he'd been wrong. Kensy must have been an inn keeper for far longer than he let on because, even with the crowds, he still managed to spot Will as the ranger made his way to the door.

"'ey Will!" Will grimaced. His plans for sneaking out unnoticed were ruined.

Will stopped and turned away from the door, towards Kensy who, after a stern look at the regulars seated at the door, walked out from behind the bar and crossed the crowded room to Will.

"Where ya off to?" Kensy asked him, looking down at the smaller man.

"Macindaw," Will told him. He saw no point in lying now that he'd been caught. "I have a friend there who may be able to tell me about that rock I found."

"Good luck." Will looked at the man in surprise. He'd been convinced that Kensy would want to come along, desperate for anything that could tell him what had happened to his son. Kensy must have read the look on his face because he explained, "I've got too much ta do 'ere, manning the inn. I want ta go with ya but I can't just up n' leave."

Will nodded slowly, feeling guilty that he'd tried to purposely leave the man behind. "I'll come back once I've found out about it," he promised.

"You think yer friend will be able ta tell us anything?"

"I don't know," Will confessed. "but he's the only one I can think of or know of that would be able to."

The ride to Macindaw seemed to take longer than the ride to Dynephous had been. Maybe it was because Will was hopeful, yet dreading. What if Malcolm was unable to tell him anything? What if this was all a waste? What if he didn't get enough evidence in time to save Caleb's life? Or what if he'd already been convicted?

Those thoughts bounced around in his head the whole way to Grimsdell Wood. He slept little, only for a few hours when he set up camp that evening. As he lay watching the flames, he could have sworn that he saw figures dancing in the flames. Tiny figures, yet powerful all the same. When he awoke hours later and remembered the scene, he blamed it on his exhaustion, a trick of the light. Something, anything. But, even as he approached Grimsdell Wood the following day, he knew something was wrong.

It was quiet. Too quiet. It was autumn, but _early_ autumn. He should have seen squirrels and there should have still been a trace of birdlife. But it was positively silent. Dismounting from Tug, he looked around, searching for any sign of any life at all but seeing nothing. He patted Tug's neck, though trying to reassure himself more than his companion. With one last look around, Will grabbed his bow and quiver –his knives already hidden away beneath his cloak- and headed off into the shadows of Grimsdell wood.

As Will made his slow way into the wood, skirting around brambles and bushes, he tried to remember the way to Malcolm's clearing. Occasionally, he would let out a whistle, hoping Shadow would hear.

He couldn't even begin to wonder how long he'd been trudging through the woods. Nothing looked familiar and the sun was starting to descend. He considered going back but, when he started to head back, nothing seemed familiar. He couldn't see anything that he remembered, even from a few minutes ago. Starting to get worried, he let out a couple more whistles hoping someone, anyone, would hear. Maybe one of the disfigured –though he hated to think of them as that- people Malcolm cared for would hear him.

Casting anxious glances up at the sky, he quickened his pace as much as possible, trying to find his way out of the woods. If he got out, he would spend the night at Macindaw and try again tomorrow. _If_ he got out.

As the light started to die from the sky, Will found himself more and more often tripping over fallen branches and getting his cloak stuck on bushes. He hated to admit it, but he was starting to panic. He couldn't spend the night in Grimsdell. It wasn't that he was scared of the dark and he knew that the wood wasn't haunted but it still made him more nervous than he cared to think about.

He shouldn't have panicked. He knew he shouldn't have. At the crack of a branch behind him, a noise that sounded disturbingly like an insane laugh, he burst into a run. He ran, praying that he was running in the right direction. He wasn't.

He ran and ran, stumbling over roots and branches, unseen things tugging at his cloak. It was only a matter of time. A particularly high root caught his foot and he fell forward. He saw the rock coming at him as he fell. The last thing he was aware of before everything went dark was the sound of footsteps coming towards him. Then nothing.


	13. Author's Note

Author's Note: Due to the ending school term, I will not be able to update my stories for up to three weeks. I still have the end of this week so I'll try to update before then. Sorry guys.


	14. Chapter 12

Will groaned lowly as he slowly returned to consciousness. His head pounded, making him grimace and want nothing more than to return to sleep. But, he knew he wouldn't, couldn't. He had to… do something. That's when everything came rushing back to him.

His eyes snapped open and he jerked up. The room spun and his head pounded, forcing him back down onto the bed. Upon slowly opening his eyes again, he looked around the room he found himself in.

The room was sparse, at best, except for rows of shelves along the back wall. The shelves held jars of creams and leaves Will couldn't even hope to recognize or identify.

"Ah, so you've finally decided to join us." Will looked over at the door, relieved when he recognized Malcolm. Of course. He was in Malcolm's cottage.

"How did I get here?" he rasped, wincing at the pain in his head.

"Haenk found you," Malcolm told him as he crossed the room to where Will lay on the bed. "He heard you whistling and went to investigate but, as soon as he got close, you ran. You tripped and hit your head so he brought you here."

"I'll have to thank him when I get the chance," Will said.

"I doubt you'll get the chance."

Will tilted his head then wished he hadn't. "Why?"

Malcolm glanced over at the doorway at a slight commotion outside before relaxing again when it quieted a few seconds later. "He is new here," he explained. "Bitter. He doesn't really like people, especially not strangers. I would have liked to ask him why he didn't just leave you out in the woods but, you know, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I guess you're right. When you see him next, give him my thanks."

"Will do," Malcolm said. "Now, you weren't just enjoying the nice weather or taking a pleasant stroll."

Will stared at him for a moment before remembering. Sitting up again, slowly that time, he looked around. "What did you do with my cloak?"

Malcolm wordlessly walked over to the doorway to where several cloaks hung off a peg. After a bit of rearranging, he returned, Will's cloak in hand, giving it to the young ranger.

After a few seconds of searching in the pockets hidden inside his cloak, Will pulled out the fragment of green stone and held it up for Malcolm to see. "This is why I'm here."

Malcolm frowned and took the green stone from him. "Where did you find this?"

"In an old fire pit at a camping site just outside Dynephous," Will answered. "It was so similar to the Stellatite that was used on Alyss, I thought maybe it might have the same affect."

"In a fire pit, you say?" Malcolm held the stone up to the light that poured through one of the windows.

"Yeah but an old one. I'd say it hasn't been used in over ten years."

Malcolm walked over to the back of his cabin, over to the shelves. "Do you know what it is?" Will asked, unable to stop himself.

Malcolm didn't say anything right away, shifting a few jars, as if searching for something. "Yes," he said finally. "It's Etematite and you're right. It has the same affect as the Stellatite."

When Malcolm turned back again, his expression made Will uneasy. "How do you know?"

Malcolm walked back over, carrying a small jar. "I know," he said. "because it's mine." He opened the jar and upended it, dumping several small pieces of green stone onto the blanket that covered Will's lower body.

Will stared at the pieces of rock before looking back up at Malcolm. "I don't understand."

"Many years ago, roughly eleven, a man came to me. He had been attacked and needed my help. So, I patched him up and nursed him back to health. Once he was healed, he stuck around, determined to pay me back for helping him. He asked me questions, started helping some of those in my care. I taught him what he wanted to know.

"One day, he found the Etematite stone. I had found it several years before in a river bed and had been trying to figure out what it was. Anyway, he asked me about it and I told him what I knew. He asked if he could experiment with it. I couldn't see any harm in it so I let him.

"It was about two weeks later when he told me he had to leave. Something about receiving disturbing news from home. He wasn't very specific. I asked for the stone back and he completely lost it. He started yelling and ranting about something. Half the time he wasn't even speaking in a language I could understand. Then, he threw the stone into the fire and, it must have struck a bigger rock, because it shattered.

"I extinguished the fire and retrieved the pieces," Malcolm finished, sighing. "Apparently I missed a piece. When I gathered the pieces I could find, he was gone."

"Who was he?" Will asked.

"He said his name was Alenx but I doubt that was his real name," Malcom told him.

"But, how did you find out it has the same affect as the Stellatite?" Will asked. He was starting to think that Alenx had a bigger part to play in the whole thing than Malcolm realized. "No, forget that," he said before Malcolm could reply. "_When_ did you find out about its affect? How old was Alenx when he left?"

Malcolm frowned, his confusion evident. "Not long after he left and, I guess, maybe fifty. Why?"

"Just a hunch," Will said. "Did anyone see which direction he went?"

"South," Malcolm replied, still looking confused but was better at controlling his curiosity than the ranger.

Will nodded then, careful not to toss the Etematite pieces onto the floor, pushed back the blanket and swung his feet around. He pushed himself off the bed only to fall back down when the floor tilted beneath his feet.

Malcolm smiled weakly. "I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere for a while," he said. "At least not until you recover."

"Recover?"

"You hit your head pretty hard."

Will frowned but didn't dare try to stand up again. "How long do you think that will take? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"A day or two," Malcolm said. "Head injuries are hard to judge."

"I may not have a day or two to spare," Will told him. "I have to find this Alenx guy, or at least find out where he went."

"What's the hurry?"

"There's someone back at Castle Araluen who's been framed for murder," Will told him. "I don't think he did it, but the proof all points to him. All the proof that's been put forward in court anyway. If I don't hurry and find out what really did happen, he'll be hung."

"Well, then we better get going."

"What?"

"Will, you don't know what he looks like," Malcolm pointed out. "Besides, you need to keep moving but you also need constant supervision to make sure you don't do anymore damage. So, I'm coming with you."

**Author's Note: There you go guys. One more chapter before my two week silence. I'm trying to work on bringing this story to a close so not many chapters left. Hopefully, I'll have a few when I come back to make up for my absence. Read and review.**


	15. Chapter 13

"This is not a good idea."

Malcolm sighed deeply, looking over his shoulder at Will. The young ranger had his arms crossed over his chest, looking none too happy.

"Yes, Will. I heard you the first ten times you've said so."

Will frowned. "What if something happens?" he asked.

"I'm not _completely_ helpless you know," Malcolm told him.

Will scowled, unintentionally wearing the same expression Halt had often used on him. "I don't even know where I'm going," he said. "Or how long it's going to take. You could be away for a long time and these guys need you."

"Will, you're not going to talk me out of coming, so stop trying."

It took a trip to Castle Macindaw and over an hour for Will to finally tire of trying vainly to convince Malcolm to stay. And so, they rode in silence, Malcolm riding a horse they had borrowed from the castle.

Tug seemed incredibly amused by the situation, or maybe Will was just imaging it but he swore that, when the little horse glanced back at him, he was mocking his rider over losing the argument with Malcolm.

That night, as they sat in front of their campfire, Will stared into the flames, wondering if all his searching was pointless. After all, the trail was over ten years old. It was possible that Alenx wasn't even alive any longer. Or that he had left Araluen.

"Will?" He blinked, looking from the fire to Malcolm.

"Hm?"

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You seem… worried."

Was it that obvious? Will shrugged. "Just questioning whether or not I'm sending myself on a wild goose chase."

"A wild goose chase?"

Will shook his head in anger and frustration. "It's hopeless," he said. "I'm not going to find anything and I'm certainly not going to find Alenx, if he's even still alive."

Malcolm frowned. "You can't just give up," he said. "Not when you've come so far. Besides, what of the man awaiting his fate back at Castle Araluen? If you give up, he'll have no hope at all."

"It's false hope," Will told him as he tossed a stick into the fire, watching as the leaf on it shriveled in the flames.

"False hope is better than no hope at all," Malcolm countered. "Besides, how do you know it's false hope? You've already given up. For all you know, Alenx could very well be living nearby, just waiting for us to come upon him."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Waiting for us?"

"Subconsciously," Malcolm said. "You know what I mean."

Will reluctantly nodded. He found he was forced to agree. It was a chance, a slim one but it was still possible. And he _was_ Caleb's only hope.

He stayed up the whole night and, when the sun broke over the horizon, he felt like he was in a kind of dream, especially when he saw that rider coming towards them. He was on his feet in a heartbeat, holding his bow in one hand, the other ready to snap back to his quiver in a moment's notice.

As the rider approached, Will recognized the uniform as that of a mail carrier and he allowed himself to relax, if only a little. He still stood ready in case it turned out to be a trap.

"Hullo Ranger!" the man called. "Might you be Ranger Will?"

"That'd be me," Will told him.

"In that case…" He reached into his bag and pulled out an envelope, leaning down to hand the letter to Will.

Will took it, nodding his thanks. He wondered who would send a message to him, and send the carrier that far up north. Only Halt and Crowley knew he would be in the north and, if either of them had written to him, it couldn't be good.

"What is it?" He jumped at Malcolm's voice.

Will shot a weak glare at the healer before turning his attention back to the letter. "I don't know," he said before breaking the wax seal. Tentatively, he pulled out the letter to find it was hardly more than a note.

_Time's up Will._

_ Caleb will hang tomorrow at noon._

_ Halt_

Will felt as if a cold hand had clutched his heart even though he wasn't overly surprised. He knew he'd been away for a while, long enough for King Duncan to find him guilty of murder, but it hadn't seemed real until then.

"Like I said, wild goose chase."

They arrived back at Castle Araluen roughly half an hour before noon. Malcolm had, once again, insisted on coming along, claiming that he had wanted to see the man Will had tried so hard to save. When they arrived, the courtyard was surprisingly empty, save for a man who was tying the noose. Will shuddered at the sight as he rode Tug over to the stables.

Climbing down from Tug, he watched Malcolm dismount as well. Normally, he wouldn't allow someone else to care for Tug, but he was in a hurry. Besides, the way the stable boys were staring at himself and Tug reassured him that his faithful friend would be well cared for.

Will led Malcolm into the castle, still feeling as if he was in a dream. Or a nightmare. His gut was telling him that Caleb was innocent but he was going to be hung anyway. But he was innocent. Too many things didn't add up for Caleb to be guilty. Too many unanswered questions for his theory to be proven correct or wrong.

Just like last time, the moment they entered the dungeon, the temperature seemed to plunge. He swore he could see his breath as he walked across the dungeon towards Caleb's cell. He noticed that the other occupant was no longer there but didn't think on it for more than a moment.

Before Caleb's cell were two guards, probably waiting for orders to bring him up for his hanging. Inside the cell, Caleb was sitting with his back against a wall, legs brought up and knees tucked under his chin, arms wrapped around his legs.

When Will and Malcolm approached, Caleb raised his head. "You came back," he rasped.

Will nodded. "I tried," he told him. "If I only had a little more time…"

Caleb nodded slowly. "Isn't that what we all want? A little more time. A little more time to play. A little more time with a loved one… A little more time alive." He shivered and Will swore he could hear Caleb's teeth chattering. His rags of clothes couldn't possibly do much to keep him warm.

"You know," Caleb went on. "I would give anything to go back to when I was Halt's apprentice and Tahlee was still alive. Anything. I loved her, you know, and Halt was like a father to me. Oh sure, my own father was great, but when I became Halt's apprentice, I didn't get the chance to see my family, what with them living so far away. When I was his apprentice, I worked so hard to gain his approval. I never got it, though, no matter how hard I tried. I was just no good with the bow. In fact, it was considered a good day if I didn't nearly kill someone or some animal."

As Will stood there, listening, he started to wonder whether Caleb was actually talking to him or just rambling. Either way, he couldn't help but feel horrible for him. What would it be like to try so hard to gain someone's approval and fail? He knew he'd worked hard for Halt's approval but he _had_ gotten it. What if he hadn't? The very thought felt like a stab to the chest.

When Will came out of his thoughts, Caleb was still talking.

"I didn't kill her. They don't believe me. Not even Halt believes me. Why can't they see it? Why can't Halt see it? He sees everything else. Well, not everything. He never saw how hard I worked. He did at first but then, I think, he gave up on me. But she didn't. _She_ never did. _She_ saw how hard I worked. _She_ saw how hard I tried to get it right for him. But he didn't. He never saw how much I tried to make him proud. He never cared but she did. And then she left me." Caleb then proceeded to curl into himself, tucking his head down until the very top of his forehead pressed against his knees.

Will turned at the sound of footsteps. He watched in growing dread as a man in an official looking uniform stepped down off the stairs. He regarded the ranger and stranger, then the guards before saying the words Will feared the most.

"It's time."


	16. Chapter 14

** Author's Note: Just a warning, this chapter contains character death.**

Will followed behind the guards and Caleb, Malcolm trailing after him. No one spoke. There was nothing to say. Their footsteps echoed around the halls as they made their way towards the courtyard. As they neared the doors, the sound of a crowd reached Will's ears. He guessed a crowd had gathered to witness the hanging of the murderous renegade ranger. When the doors were opened, his assumptions were proved correct.

The group slowly made their way through the doors, stepping out into the fresh air but, to Will, it seemed as cold as the dungeon. He and Malcolm broke away from the guards and Caleb, heading to join the crowd but he paused when he heard his name. He turned back towards Caleb.

Caleb watched him intently. "Thank you," he said. "For trying."

Will didn't trust his voice so he could only nod, watching as Caleb turned back ahead and let the guards lead him to the gallows. Will and Malcolm slipped into the crowd. Despite wanting to leave, Will could not bear to. Helpless to stop it, he could only watch as Caleb was led up onto the gallows, the noose position around his neck.

A gasp beside him made Will look away. He looked at Malcolm in confusion.

"Will, it's him." He followed Malcolm's line of sight to an older man, roughly sixty to sixty-five. "It's Alenx." He didn't need Malcolm to tell him. He just knew it was the man he was searching for. The man didn't look angry or justified like the rest of the crowd. He wore an expression of malicious joy that made Will's stomach flip over.

Quickly, Will made his way through the crowd towards Alenx, ignoring the exclamations and snaps as he pushed past people. He didn't stop to apologize. He needed to reach Alenx and stop this whole thing. But, he must have heard the commotion before Alenx looked over at him, his face changing from joy to rage in a matter of two seconds.

Alenx turned and hurried away, vanishing into the crowd. Seething with frustration, Will did something completely out of character, for him anyway. He made his way to front of the crowd, climbing up onto the gallows to get a better view. He scanned the crowd, ignoring the questioning of the executioner and immediately spotting Alenx.

"Stop that man!" he called out, pointing towards Alenx.

Those in the crowd turned to see who the ranger was pointing at, those closest to Alenx instinctively following Will's orders and grabbing the man before he could escape. Alenx let out a series of curses, not all of which were in Araluan.

"Bring him forward!" Will called out to those who had grabbed Alenx.

The crowd parted for the men as they forcefully dragged Alenx, who still struggled against them, to the front.

"Will! What is the meaning of this?" He turned at the sound of King Duncan's voice. He spotted the man standing between several guards.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty," Will said. "but I don't believe Caleb is guilty."

"And you believe this man is?" the king asked him.

"He's mad!" Alenx snapped. "I didn't do anything!"

"Will!" Will looked over his shoulder at Caleb who was staring at Alenx in shock. "That's the man that asked directions from me the day Tahlee was killed!"

"He's also the man that stole the Etematite fragment from me, a stone with the same properties as Stellatite," Malcolm called as he came forward through the crowd. Very few in the crowd would know the significance of that but King Duncan would have read the reports after the incident at Macindaw, he would know of the Stellatite.

King Duncan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he looked from Malcolm to Alenx, then to Will and Caleb and back. Finally, he looked over at Halt who stood off to the side, hiding in the shadows as usual. "But for what reason?"

Halt frowned and stepped forward, studying the man's face. "He _does_ look vaguely familiar," he said. "Though I can't remember from where."

"You're mad. I've never seen you before!" Alenx told him, glaring at him.

Suddenly, Halt's eyebrows shut up in a look of surprise, if not outright shock. "Of course," he said quietly.

"Halt? What is it?" King Duncan asked.

"Your Majesty, in Red Mont twenty years ago, there was a band of thieves that was attacking travelers, robbing and often killing them. I went after them but there was a fight. I was forced to shoot at them. Most of them survived to be tired in court, but a few of them didn't survive. This one looks like one of them that didn't survive."

As Halt spoke, Will noticed Alenx's expression turn from one of defiance to hatred. By the time Halt had finished, Alenx had pushed off the men that had brought him forward. "That was my son," he all but snarled.

"Motive," Will pointed out. He heard someone clear their throat and looked at Caleb in time to see the executioner remove the noose from Caleb's neck, much to the man's relief. When he looked back at Alenx, he was suddenly aware of something being very wrong. The way he was looking at Halt, it made him very nervous.

It turned out, his gut was right. Alenx pulled a knife from a scabbard hidden under his shirt. With a cry of rage, he charged at Halt. Faster than Will could see, Halt pulled out his saxe knife, blocking Alenx's blow but not without effort. Either from the shock of the sudden attack or the ferocity of it, Halt was forced back.

Will jumped off the gallows, rushing to his mentor's aid. He heard footsteps coming after him but he didn't look back to see who it was. Pulling his own saxe out of his scabbard, he rushed at Alenx who punched Halt in the jaw with his free hand. Halt stumbled back with the impact, giving Alenx the chance to turn just in time to block Will's blow.

Unfortunately, Alenx was stronger than he looked. Alenx easily threw off the blow, striking out at Will who just managed to dodge in time to avoid getting his stomach cut open. As Will dodged and attacked, trying to land a blow while trying to avoid getting hit himself, he was vaguely aware of someone yelling orders. He saw other people out of the corner of his eyes running, either away or towards them.

But his distraction cost him. He felt a searing pain shoot up his arm, jumping back to avoid getting hurt even more. Blood quickly soaked through his shirt sleeve, turning the material red. Tightly holding his injured arm, he backed off, allowing Halt to take over again but it didn't take long for him to end up in the same position as Will.

Alenx lashed out again, the knife cutting too close and forcing Halt back. Halt's foot caught on a loose cobblestone, tripping him. Will felt his stomach drop to his feet. But, before he could even move, Caleb slammed into Alenx's side.

The two of them slid several feet before coming to a stop. The pair jumped back to their feet, facing each other. They circled around each other, both holding a knife. Finally, they both lunged. They collided a second before the arrow pierced through Alenx's back. Both of the men fell to the ground but neither got up.

Will, feeling sick to his stomach, slowly crept forward. Halt joined him beside the two men, still holding his bow in one hand. Will knelt down and pulled Alenx's body off Caleb, revealing the knife embedded in his chest.

Caleb's green eyes stared up at the sky, empty, unseeing. Will had to look away to keep from emptying his stomach. Instead, he looked up at his mentor. What he did not expect to see was the remorse, guilt and grief in his mentor's eyes, accompanied by tears. Tears for all the years lost, all the anger misdirected and for the apprentice and son-in-law he'd lost.


	17. Epilogue

Halt looked over the three graves behind his- _Will_'s cottage. He may have lived there for more years than Will had been alive but it was Will's cottage now. Well, at least it was now home to someone who knew the stories behind the three graves. Someone who would look after and respect them.

"Grandpa!" He looked up at the sound of Daniel's voice. He turned just in time to prepare himself as his five year old grandson ran into his leg, wrapping his small arms around the old ranger's leg and looking up at him.

Daniel had his father's unruly hair but his mother's sharp, intelligent eyes. Reaching down, Halt plucked the child from his leg. "Does your father know you're back here?" Halt asked.

Daniel nodded before looking at the graves, frowning. "Grandpa?"

"Yes?"

"Who's buried here?"

Halt looked from his beloved grandson to the three graves before them. "Two young women that died before their time and one young man who didn't get to experience the joy of life but still managed to die a hero."

** Author's Note: I know he epilogue is very short but I like it. Anyway, I hope you liked the story even if it **_**did**_** have a sad ending. **


End file.
